Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has received the highest ranking award of the World Swimming Association (FINA) for Hungary hosting the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.

The prime minister was presented the award by FINA President Julio César Maglione in Budapest’s Parliament Building on Monday.

FINA presents the award to heads of state, ministers, high ranking dignitaries, the heads of state of countries for their part in hosting the FINA World Championships.

“As I have already told the press, this World Championships is also your personal achievement in view of the fact that the games were successfully organized within a period of only two years thanks to the fact that you provided all instruments necessary. This is a beautiful country, this is a great city; the people are wonderful and have a solution for everything, and it is you who represent them and you are our friend," President Maglione said.

PM Orbán said that he knows very well that this prestigious award has been presented to the people of Hungary, and is happy to accept it in their name, because the world record according to which Hungary succeeded in preparing to host the World Championships in only two years is not a world record that has been set by the government.

“It helps if a people have a good government, and it helps if they have a government that is committed to sport, but this achievement has been realized thanks to the joint efforts of the whole country. We began preparations for the games by introducing special legislation on the subject, which was supported by all parliamentary parties. This means that everyone, the whole population and all representatives of the international community, supported and stood behind the fact that we should set out on this great adventure and organize the event in such a short time," the prime minister said.

"Thank you for this award, and I will do my utmost to deserve it. I will have much work to do in future to achieve this, but I will do everything possible to merit this recognition," PM Orbán said.